Cop poses online as teen girl to catch predators

Jul. 26, 2013
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Kenton County police Detective Stephen Benner, posing as a 13-year-old girl online, chats with potential sexual predators at his desk in the police headquarters in Independence. On the wall behind him are mug shots of some of the 35 people who have been arrested due to his work. / Patrick Reddy, The Cincinnati Enquirer

by Cindy Schroeder, The Cincinnati Enquirer

by Cindy Schroeder, The Cincinnati Enquirer

INDEPENDENCE, Ky. -- For Stephen Benner, keeping a chart of girls' underwear sizes by his office desk and chatting with men soliciting sex is all in a day's work.

When he's not backing up his fellow police officers on a call, the 52-year-old member of the federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is on his computer portraying himself as a 13-year-old girl on the web.

His goal? To stop sexual predators from preying on the most vulnerable members of society.

Besides his federal training on the dos and don'ts of chatting with online suitors, Benner has spent the past four years educating himself on everything from the type of music that's popular with 13-year-old girls to their hobbies and clothing sizes. His Facebook photo when he's on the job is a childhood picture of a female co-worker.

"The more I know about the mind-set of a 13-year-old girl, the better I am at hunting down these criminals," said the veteran Kenton County Police officer and father of two grown sons. "Depressing is not the word for the things that these guys do. It's absolutely sickening."

Because of Benner's efforts, 35 men who allegedly crossed the line with juveniles on the Internet are now facing charges or have been sentenced to a total of 150 years. All are documented on his "Wall of Shame," a rogue's gallery of mug shots that fills a wall next to Benner's desk at the Kenton County Police Department.

"I have trouble lying to somebody's face," Benner said. "But sitting at my computer, I have time to think of something feasible and type it up. A lot of it is finesse in how you answer."

One perpetrator asked why he'd been chatting with Benner for a year and he still didn't have a photo of "the girl" he was chatting with.

Benner responded that he lived in a single-parent household and didn't have the money for a web cam.

Another time, the officer masquerading as a 13-year-old girl told a perpetrator who had sent him a web cam that "her Mom" had confiscated the man's gift and destroyed it.

"One guy wanted to know, 'How are the panties I sent you?' I said, 'Great. I wear them every day,'" Benner said. "Whatever I say here, I have to keep in mind I may have to say that in front of a judge or jury, so I choose my words carefully."

"I've got an underwear chart for little girls right here on the wall next to my (work) desk because the guys I'm chatting with online will ask me what size underwear I wear," he said. "How am I supposed to know that? I'm a 52-year-old guy. Sometimes, I've had to call dispatch and ask the women what size shirt a 13-year-old girl wears."

In one of Benner's cases, a man convicted of 11 felony counts for possession of child pornography, distribution and child enticement recently turned down a plea deal of 10 years in prison from federal prosecutors in Indianapolis. The sexual predator now faces at least 55 years behind bars and a possible maximum of 220 years in prison.

Yet another case involved a disabled American veteran from Iraq who was soliciting sex from Benner's online persona while the man's children played alongside him, Benner said.

"Officer Benner has been extremely effective in bringing these people to justice," said Kenton County Police Chief Brian Capps. "He's had a great deal of direct results here in Northern Kentucky. But some of his cases go far beyond the borders of Kentucky in protecting children."

Although Benner prefers to focus on predators close to, he has no control over who contacts his 13-year-old online persona. "One guy sent me a web cam from Switzerland because he wanted to see the child naked," Benner said. "He was arrested, and his computer was confiscated after I went through Interpol and contacted the Swiss National Police."

Another online profile Benner uses at work is that of an adult woman with two young girls. "I've had guys contact me (online) who want to buy them, or just use them," he said.

From doctors to gravedigger

Predators who have contacted Brenner's 13-year-old online alias seeking everything from pornographic videos and photos to actual intercourse have ranged from prominent doctors and businessmen to a gravedigger. Currently, he has more than 200 active cases.

"At least with me, they aren't talking to a real victim," Benner said. "But with this Internet Crimes Task Force, a day doesn't go by that we don't hear about a real victim, a real 13-year-old girl." One online "friend" was physically and sexually abusing his teenaged daughter, who was physically and mentally handicapped.

"Some of the things they found on his computer that he was doing to that girl are just unspeakable," Benner said. "But his daughter doesn't have to worry about that any more. That's why I'm doing this."

In another instance, a Colorado man was sending child porn to Benner's online persona that he said he'd gotten from a young girl in Kansas. Benner convinced the man to give him her screen name. After contacting the girl online, he was able to get her address and send local police to her home to warn her parents of their daughter's online activities.

Tougher laws sought

"Kids know a lot more about the computer and the Internet than their parents do," said Benner, who was shocked to learn that his 5-year-old grandson knew how to order a movie online from Netflix. "Parents need to be better educated to watch their kids and know what they're doing online."

Benner would like to see tougher penalties for sexual predators. Another wish is more funding so that more resources can be devoted to tracking down online predators.

"Police departments all over the country take advantage of the training (to catch sexual predators) but how many officers are actually given the time to do it?" Brenner asked. "There are 13 police agencies in Kenton County, but I don't know anyone who's (tracking down online sexual predators) on a regular basis. This takes a lot of time."

When he's not at work, Benner, who's been involved in the Kenton County Police Department's Youth Crimes Academy, enjoys playing and watching tennis, and spending time with his family.

"When I leave here, I leave everything at the office," said Benner, who doesn't have a Facebook account in real life.